Additional Service Offered

Photographic Documentation of Memorable Objects

Let us capture memories of your home or memorable objects with photographs. A family heritage book comes alive if you include loving photographs of your home or the things that make your life or story special. Memorable objects - the spectacular and the ordinary - tell a story and are invaluable when woven together with text that explains why they are important, how they came to be a part of the family or the story about how they were used.

Combine new and old photograph for a unique story

Newly taken color photos can be combined with older photos, a combination that brings added life to old black and white photos. An old photo of a person using an object combined with a new close-up color photo of that object can add a beautiful artistic touch to a memoir or photo book.

Each home is unique! Here are examples of photos to weave into your story...

Entertaining – Traditions – Kitchen

· The dinner dishes that have been with the family for 40 years. The serving bowl that was a wedding gift 60 years ago. The fancy tea-service, linens or serving pieces used for special family celebrations.

· Grandma’s recipe box or recipe book, and her prized recipes. If cooking was an important part of family life include close ups of cooking tools, the kitchen or even cooked food.

· Holiday decorations or anything associated with family traditions.

Furniture – Home – Garden

· Furniture: The rocking chair or armchair where the loved family member often sat. Heirloom pieces or well used ordinary pieces. Include close-ups of the upholstery or the woodwork, finding beauty in the details.

· Your home and the details that are all around us– like the wall coverings or the prized rug or drapes. Beautiful or unique items that have been handed from generation to generation. Decorations and art. Glassware, vases and candlesticks that come from a particular era or place.

· The garden. Flowers, bushes, trees or the pretty water fountain, swing or sitting area.

· Your vacation home or cottageis often a place with warm memories. The view. The surrounding nature. A day spent documenting the beauty and charm of your place, inside and out, can be special and valuable.

THINGS YOU ENJOY

Profession – Hobbies – Collections – Sports

· Charming treasures, those first handmade gifts that children made.

· Things associated with a hobby, friendships, club involvement or professional life.

· Handmade items and the tools that were used to make them. It could be a tool bench, a sewing table, a loom, or woodworking tools. Capture objects used to create handwork as well as the finished products.

· Your collectionthat has been lovingly gathered over many years.

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Sporting goods, skis, golf clubs or balls, maybe the hat or jacket from the favorite team. If Dad’s hobby was fishing include artful pictures of his fishing rod or nets.

· Musical instruments, old cameras, radios or television. If Grandpa loved to play the trumpet, we will take detailed photos of his instrument. They will be used with an older photo of Grandpa playing his instrument.

· Favorites - Favorite books or the cozy sofa where you curled up reading books.

Sentimental value

· A favorite toy, for example the old rocking horse that 4 generations of children have ridden or that doll that every grandchild has loved, or the matchbox cars or train set.

· A favorite hat, cane or an article of clothing that brings warm memories.

· Things associated with warm memories or personal characteristics of the person we love!

· Hidden treasures! Don’t forget electronics and treasures in the closet! If you are going to be throwing away old computers, phones or electronics document the retro-beauty of them before they are packed away. How about the phone with a rotary wheel, the first mobile phone that was big like a suitcase, the old typewriter, your first computer, the LP-record player or cassette deck.

Getting Started – How does it Work?

The first step is to confirm who will be photographer. Grab a camera yourself or ask us to come to your home. We offer this service and enjoy doing this! We have a unique eye for Storytelling Photography.

You will show rooms, areas, heirlooms and objects that are special to you and your family, and tell why they are memorable and important. The things you point to will be photographed as well as whole rooms or details like retro-wallpaper or the favorite reading corner.

As you tell the stories behind each item you are formulating important information worth capturing! You will want to weave the stories into your memoir or family photo memory book as well as other historical documentation you are gathering.

After the stories have been edited into short captions they can be included directly in the photograph’s information file. It is the digital version of making pencil markings on the back of a photograph. The photos will become an important part of your family’s digital image collection.

Storytelling Photography is especially valuable when a household is being dismantled, for example before a move, when downsizing a home or prior to or following the death of a loved one. This is different from “home styling” photography used when selling a home. It is about capturing the aspects of your home, life or story; anything that has sentimental value or historical importance.